العِصمَةُ

INFALLIBILITY

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2– Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said, ‘An Imam from among us can only be infallible. Infallibility is not an outward physical feature that can be noticed which is why it must be documented
[in the Qur’an or traditions].’ He was then asked, ‘O son of the Prophet, and what does infallible mean’ to which he replied, ‘It refers to one who clings fast to the rope of Allah, and the rope of Allah is the Qur’an. They do not separate from each other until the Day of Resurrection, and the Imam guides to the Qur’an and the Qur’an guides to the Imam, which is the purport of Allah’ s saying
[in the Qur’an] “Verily this Qur’an guides to what is most upright”
[ Qur’an 179].’
[Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 132, no. 1]

3– Imam al-Sadiq (AS), in reply to Hisham’ s question about the meaning of infallible, said, ‘The infallible
[Imam] is prevented by Allah from all acts which Allah has prohibited, and Allah, Blessed and most High, says “And whoever takes recourse in Allah is certainly guided to a straight path”
[ Qur’an 3101].
[ Qur’an. no. 2]

4– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily Allah, Exalted be His remembrance, protects
[from sin] whoever obeys Him, and whoever disobeys Him does not benefit from His protection.’
[al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 82, no. 39]

5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Drawing lessons
[from past experiences] gives rise to sinlessness.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 879]

6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Verily Godwariness is a protection
[against sin] for you in your life, and a great profit for you after your death.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3466]

7– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Sinlessness is fastened with Godwariness.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4316]

8– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Wisdom is sinlessness, and sinlessness is a bounty.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 12]

9– Imam Ali (AS) said in his intimate supplication, ‘My God, I have no way to guard myself from sin except through Your protection, and no way to attain good deeds except by Your will. So how can I ever benefit from that which You have preceded with Your will! And how can I ever guard myself from sins as long as Your protection does not cover me therein!’
[al-Balad al-Amin, p. 315]

10– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘When Allah, most High, knows the good intention of a person, He encompasses him with His protection from all sides.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 188, no. 41]

11– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, describing the Imam, ‘He is immune from committing all errors, well-protected from all acts of indecency.’
[al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 204, no. 2]

12– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘We are the interpreters of Allah’ s command, we are the infallible people.’
[al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 269, no. 6]

13– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, ‘An Imam is purified from sins, immune from all flaws.’
[al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 200, no. 1]

14– Imam al-Rida (AS) said, ‘He
[i.e. the Imam] is therefore infallible, divinely supported, aided, and shielded; being immune from all mistakes, errors and lapses. Allah has endowed him that in order to make Him His proof on the servants and His witness over creation.’
[al-Kafi, v. 1, p. 203, no. 1]

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* The word ‘Imam’ in this sub-section refers specifically to the ImÁms from the Prophet’ s household, from the progeny of Imam ALI (AS) (ed.)